The Modified Stroop effect and eating disorders

The use of the Modified Stroop task in assessing attentional bias and cognitive processing underlying psychopathology is reviewed, with particular focus on eating disorders. It is argued that the modified Stroop effect obtained with food or body related stimuli is not specific to individuals with eating disorders but also occurs in individuals high on dietary restraint. The relationship between the Stroop effect and recovery from eating disorders is examined addressing the issue of whether the Stroop effect is concomitant with current symptomatology or reflects an underlying vulnerability trait that remains after recovery. Methodological issues such as varying approaches to statistical analyses, stimuli word choice and control words are considered. The influences of participant characteristics such as eating disordered symptomatology and general psychopathology as well as hunger state on the Stroop effect are evaluated. Further directions for increasing knowledge of the conditions under which the effect occurs are indicated. The Stroop effect is considered as evidence for the existence of schematic processing of food and body shape related information and implications of this for understanding of disordered eating behavior and treatment are considered.